


The Suthay Chronicles Chapter 5: A Skull Laden Jewel

by Vicsvinny



Series: The Suthay Chronicles [7]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Cyrodiil (Elder Scrolls), Dunmer (Elder Scrolls), Gen, Khajiit (Elder Scrolls)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25525636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vicsvinny/pseuds/Vicsvinny
Summary: Even the smallest of trinkets, may hold the greatest power.
Series: The Suthay Chronicles [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1817335





	The Suthay Chronicles Chapter 5: A Skull Laden Jewel

**\------Skingrad | West Weald Inn | 6:23am------**

The door closed by itself with a loud *CLICK*, which awoke Mirian  
**“TAZ!!!!!!!”** She exclaimed in a petrified stare as she froze up in place, yanking the blanket up to cover her  
The Argonian, a dark grey-scaled lizard with black plumage drowsily lifted his head, before wiping his eyes and blinked at the Khajiit, still frozen in shock at the door.  
“Ok.. So.. I know this looks damning.. But I can explain Taz” Mirian stammered as she got out of bed and quickly threw on nightwear, conveniently piled on the floor beside.  
Taz crossed her arms and glared coldly at Mirian. Her eyes speaking louder than words that she wasn’t willing to listen to any bull.  
“Speak then. You slept with a Lizard in Khajiit’s bed..”  
Mirian glanced back and forth between the Argonian and Taz, thinking up her words  
“So, we came back yesterday right? You went off to.. Wherever, I felt like I needed to get the mental images of the freakshow out of my mind so I.. may have gotten a bit drunk at the bar. I made my way back to our room and.. Next I know Haxal and I are.. Having sexy times! Which is weird because.. Heh.. Y’know how I am Tazzie..” Mirian held an awkward grin, hoping that she can get some kind of sentiment from the Khajiit

Taz lowered her brow and growled slightly in an predatory manner.  
“Haxal. Tell her what happened. You were more sober right??” Mirian said, still hoping to salvage her friendship with Taz.  
She had never seen the cat this angry before. Even during battle, or when some sleazy merchant scammed her. The look Taz was giving her was.. Terrifying.  
Taz had shifted her murderous gaze to the Argonian  
He tensed up for a second, before coughing politely  
“I.. Ok.. So.. I was just eating my dinner after a long and tiring day of picking grapes. I work at the Surlie Brothers Vineyard right? And this.. Beautiful Dark Elf stumbles up to my table, holding a bottle of wine in her hand, and a red tinge on her face. She slams her hands onto the table and says ‘Hey.. **GORGEOUS’** She emphasized the gorgeous part. ‘Wanna **SCREW** a **HOT** Dunmeri Noble??”  
Taz shook her head disapprovingly at Mirian  
Mirian lowered her head in shame  
“How was I supposed to turn that down? I have had nothing but a crappy life ever since I moved to this Human province for work. And she was already coming onto me at the table so..”  
Taz shook her head again and dropped her arms, aiming an extended clawed finger at Mirian  
“UNBELIEVABLE MIRIAN. All this you say about having control over yourself. Saying _This One has a drinking problem._ I’ve never slept with someone before even when I’m drunk!”  
Mirian remained in her ashamed position, shoulders drooping and a single tear falling from her watery eyes.  
“And then Khajiit leaves you alone for _ONE_ night…”

The Argonian got out of bed, threw on his clothes and stood as noble as he could in this situation  
“I apologize for the disturbing revelation.. Taz.. Right?”  
Taz glared back at him and snarled with a subtle bare of her fangs  
“I’m sorry. And.. Well.. Isn’t it enough that _Saxhleel apologizes to Desert-Walker?”_

**“GET OUT!”** She hissed and aimed a claw at the door 

Haxal hesitated, he wasn’t expecting to hit a nerve with his apology, but he nodded, thanked Mirian then left, closing the door gently behind him.  
Taz watched him leave, then with a guttural growl she stormed over and began pulling sheets off the bed and throwing them into the corner  
“Taz.. If it’s any solace, Haxal was a really nice guy. Looking back at him, he held the door open for me yesterday when I was coming back with all the wine. No one else did.”  
Taz waved off her apologetic words with a flick of her tail as she turned to face the Dunmer  
“What is wrong with you Mirian? What is the word? Hypo-crite? Your a hypocrite”  
Mirian took a deep and guilty breath  
“I’m sporadic Taz. You know that. I’m unsure on who or what I am. Maybe I just needed that one night to calm down after dealing with that cult.”  
“But why in my bed Mirian?”  
“We were drunk and it was the first one we fell into”  
Taz shook her head with a roll of the eyes  
“I expect better of you Mirian. Your not a whore”  
Mirian lowered her head  
“I know. I’m sorry..”  
She sobbed and held her face as tears fell 

_“I really am”_

Taz wandered over and stood before her, gently lifting Mirian’s chin with her paw-like hand  
“And I’m sorry I got so pissed. I wasn’t expecting it.”  
“Thank you Taz. I don’t deserve your friendship! I’m a fucking wreck..”  
Taz shrugged  
“This Ones stayed with you this long right? I.. I can’t let this get the better of me.”  
“So.. Still friends?” Mirian asked, hope returning in her tone  
_“Trevana._ Friends” Taz replied with a smile  
Mirian went to embrace Taz in joy, when the Khajiit stepped aside, having Mirian stumble forward 

“I am not hugging you. Not until you’ve bathed” Taz remarked, looking the Dunmer up and down  
Mirian chuckled  
“Oh. I get it. Well, Argonians don’t really.. Nevermind. I’ll bathe. But could we hug later?”  
“Maybe.”  
Mirian took a step towards the bathroom when she paused  
“Where exactly did you go last night?”  
“The Library. To see if I could find anything about that amulet”  
“Did you learn anything?”  
“Just.. that a similar skull carving was used for a necromancer's coven up in Skyrim, but that’s it. You didn’t see any signs of necromancy in the mine did you?”  
Mirian shook her head  
“It’s normally quite obvious. Like having a dead body attack you. But then again, they did have piles of bodies.. That’s a good question actually.”  
Mirian pondered the question. They could’ve been a demented cult of Necromancers worshiping some Daedric entity. 

“Oh, and this was handed to me when I returned”  
Taz held up the envelope labeled as ‘payment’  
“Oh! Finally our sweet rewards!”  
Taz remained silent, not wanting to say that there was supposedly only one thing in it.  
Mirian clambered over and snatched it, then ripped the top off and pulled out a small amulet bearing a small carved obsidian skull. 

**\------ 6 hours Later | Gold Coast Road to Kvatch | 12:00pm-----**

Mirian muttered quietly to herself. Saying that it was _just_ great that they were now on _another quest._ Even though she had accepted the fact that they would do some adventuring, she was hoping to have a moment's respite. But no, here they were back on the road.  
She took in a deep breath. Might as well make the most of it. At least the sun was out today.  
Taz still was lost in her thoughts as she traveled alongside Mirian. Along with the necklace, a handwritten note from the Count himself was scrawled on the interior of the envelope which simply read: “The Curse dispelled. Only the Benefit remains. Deliver the amulet to Countess Seccilia in Anvil. Keep a watch for danger. **DO NOT LET THE THALMOR GET THE AMULET”**  
What was so important about this thing? And why would Varenis, an Imperial Count, not want the Thalmor to get their hands on it?  
Taz held the amulet before her  
The creepy magic vibe the thing had been giving off was gone. Thankfully. But still.. This thing made her fur shiver just looking at it.  
She decidedly tucked it away in a satchel and focused back on the short journey laid out before them.  
The weather had cleared up mostly, the land was still shivering cold and a few grey clouds hung about in the sky, but the sun was shining brightly above. And most importantly: It wasn’t raining.  
Mirian had worked out a schedule for them: They would take a stop at Kvatch for the night. Apparently there was some big arena competition going on, which was attracting gladiators from across Tamriel. Why it wasn’t being hosted in the Imperial City Arena, well it had apparently been flooded. So they moved the big event in Kvatch, home of the second biggest arena in Cyrodiil.  
Even though Mirian was somewhat bitter about embarking upon another quest, so soon after the other, and missing out on their ‘vacation’, she was excited to attend and watch some grueling melee combat in the Arena. Surely their delivery could stand to wait an extra hour or two? Varenis didn’t state that he wanted the amulet delivered within a speedy time-frame. 

It was still decently chilly outside, Taz had extra layers on, as well as she carried a little sealed cup with coffee, which she had taken a liking to after her first sip of the hot beverage. It warmed her up, and provided her with a measure of energy. It was also probably better than alcohol in the fact that she doesn't get stupid and suggestive by drinking it.  
Mirian lowered her head and let go of a deep sigh, her breath forming into a transparent cloud upon leaving her mouth  
“Hey Taz. Have I ever told you that I wanted to know what it was like to ‘Live a Quiet Life?”  
Taz shook her head  
“What does that even mean?”  
“Y’know. Like everyone else. Instead of going out and killing terrifying monsters and searching for long lost treasures, you have a job and go to work everyday, make a living doing something productive to society”  
Taz tilted her head in confusion  
“Why would you want to do that?”  
Mirian glanced back forward, an uncertain expression on her face  
“I don’t know. Probably because I’ve never really.. Sat down and tried to take it easy, except for those two years I stayed in the Imperial City. For the other part of my life, I was always moving, on the run. Doing this and that and killing something so that I could buy my next beer and loaf of bread.”  
“So.. I ruined that for you..” Taz asked her, a hint of guilt in her voice  
Mirian snapped her hands up  
“Oh Gods no! To be honest.. I don’t think that my Apprenticeship was going all that well anyway..”  
“How come?” Taz wandered closer to Mirian, her shoulder brushing up against the Dunmer's  
“Metalworking is hard, tiring and requires a lot of strength to properly do. It’s like magic and I, I was never really good at it.”  
“You can shoot fireballs. You fried those cultists where they stood” Taz said, trying to lift Mirian’s spirits 

Mirian glanced over at her  
“Throwing a fireball for a Dunmer is like a Khajiit swiping a purse from an unsuspecting Nobles pocket. It’s something you should be naturally good at”  
She paused after that sentence, and looked over at Taz, who was giving her a straight look  
“Uh.. I mean..”  
Taz then broke out into a warming smile  
“Khajiit do make good thieves don’t we?”  
“I’m sorry. That was a really bad stereotype..”  
Taz held her arms out to her sides  
“No. It’s fine Mirian! I have a good one: How do you start a parade in Mournhold?”  
“How?”  
Taz held a grin  
_“Throw a septim down the street”_  
Mirian and Taz both broke out into a laughter  
“That’s a good one! Where’d you hear that??”  
“In a tavern at Cheydinhal. There was a group of Nord travelers making jokes about different races. They were kicked out of the building because the Innkeeper, a Dunmer, got offended with a few of them.”  
“Nords…” Mirian grinned and shook her head, then she had another bit of inspiration 

“Taz, ‘What do you call a Khajiit with a new horse?”  
Taz gave her a cautious look 

**“A THIEF!”**

Mirian snickered, but found that Taz was frowning slightly  
“It was sort of funny the first time Mirian. Now it just hurts..”  
Mirian lowered her head slightly  
“Sorry. I’ll stop”  
Taz gave her an affirmative nod 

_“Damn immoral Grey-Skin”_

Mirian lifted her head to find that Taz was playfully sticking her tongue out at her, then turned her back and gave a few whisks of her tail.  
Mirian found her smirk returning as she ran back up beside Taz  
“You really do know how to screw with me don’t you?” She said  
Taz shrugged  
“Khajiit has her moments..” 

The wind had died down somewhat, and they were in a part of the forest in which the birds were either gone, or hibernating.  
It was relatively calm and quiet, a gentle rustling of the leaves there, a scurry of a small creature in the bushes here.  
Mirian had always been taught that once things go quiet, that’s normally the sign that something was about to happen..  
It is then when Taz’s ears twitched and she slowed to a stop  
Mirian looked back  
“Something’s wrong?”  
“We are being followed.” Taz replied, with a subtle glance back over her shoulder  
Mirian searched around, keeping one hand near her sheathed sword.  
Thank the Gods that Taz had excellent hearing.  
Taz drew her bow and readied an arrow, before swinging around and firing an arrow at a nearby blueberry bush.  
The arrow struck into the thick oak tree behind it, ricocheting the arrow off with a *TWING* 

**“COME ON OUT! KHAJIIT WILL AIM FOR YOU THIS TIME”** Taz yelled out as she readied another arrow 

A figure slowly emerged from the bush, and into the sunlight from the shady branches, arms held up in the air to show no aggression  
It was Haxal. The Argonian from yesterday.  
Mirian dropped her guard and held a slightly amazed expression  
“Haxal? What the HELL are you doing out here???”  
Taz still held an arrow fixed on him  
“I was following you because you guys probably went off on an adventure and I couldn’t take my shitty berry picking job anymore and I thought I could take my chances with you and it would be fun!” He quickly explained, staring nervously at Taz, still holding him at arrow-point.  
Mirian gave Taz a nasty look  
“Taz put the bow down”  
“Maybe Khajiit should shoot his _Talch._ So he won’t fuck dunmer in Taz’s bed anymore” 

**“TAZ PUT THE BOW DOWN!”** Mirian exclaimed 

“Alright alright..”  
Taz lowered her bow and placed the arrow back in the quiver  
Haxal dropped his arms and took in a deep breath, when Taz hissed at him and he jumped back in fright  
Mirian glowered at Taz and stepped in front of her, putting on a friendly face to Haxal  
“Sorry about her. Taz is still a little hung up about the whole..”  
She did hand motions to explain after her words had trailed off  
“I get it. And.. I guess having me follow you for this long doesn’t help my case either.. I just.. I overheard you guys were going to Anvil and I.. Wanted to tag along”  
“Why didn’t you just ask then?” Mirian questioned  
Taz gave a discontent huff behind her  
“I.. Well. I just didn't know what to say. Apart from my Ex-boss and a few vineyard workers, I’ve never really spoken with anyone outside of Black Marsh. And even then, the females preferred to be around the guys with the bigger tails.”  
He looked back at his tail and raised it up  
Mirian glanced back at Taz’s fluffy tail with a smirk  
Evidently, she must’ve noticed Mirian was staring at her tail because Taz gave Mirian a puzzled look and curled it up against her leg. 

“Taz’s tail isn’t too big either” She said looking back at Haxal  
Now he gave her a confused look  
Mirian, now realizing that she talked herself into comparing a cat and lizards’ tails; chuckled nervously to herself and took a step to the side  
_“Real smooth Elf. Real smooth…”_ Taz muttered to her  
“I.. I will ask. May I accompany you two on your way to Anvil?”  
They both looked back at Haxal.  
“Perhaps. Since you already came this far.. What do you plan on doing once we get there?”  
Haxal folded his arms behind his back and shuffled slightly  
“I’m not sure. I don’t know what there is to do there. But.. Maybe. I could come with you further? Like.. Travel with you?? Your adventurers right?” His expression lit up with excitement  
Taz emitted a long and deep sigh and brushed past Mirian  
“Why should we have you follow us further? What fighting skills do you have? We killed cultists recently. Cultists who sacrificed people and cut their hearts out!”  
Haxal thought for a second  
“Well.. Back in my days in Black Marsh, I fended off the occasional swamp predator. I know my way around a blade. Or axe.”  
Taz gave a disapproving look and a slight guttural snarl sounded from her 

“Oh for Mara’s sake Taz loosen up.”  
Mirian stepped up beside her  
“Haxal, you may tag along with us. And we won’t fight anymore on this trip. Ok?”  
She looked at Taz with her ‘no-nonsense’ look.  
Taz rolled her eyes and proceeded back down the road  
“Very well. But Khajiit is not happy about it.”  
Haxal and Mirian followed Taz from a close distance, giving her some space.  
He breathed a sigh of relief  
“Thank you Mirian. I took a risk, but I think that I finally have the chance to turn my life around for the better!”  
Mirian chuckled with a grin. She still remembered when she first thought of that, years and years ago. Her grin then soon faded after her memories came upon her first meeting with that Morag Tong Agent at the sleazy nightclub in Ebonheart.. 

“I also.. Want to apologize again for making things awkward with you and the ca.. TAZ. I’m sorry.”  
Mirians thoughts faded and she shook her head dismissively  
“It’s fine. The two of us are way too close to let a shock like that separate us”  
“You're together?”  
_“I wish…._ Or I mean, No. She’s reserved about her intimate feelings.”  
“I get the feeling she doesn’t like me..” Haxal remarked looking up at the Khajiit ahead of them.  
“Oh don’t let it bother you. Khajiit are.. Well.. _Khajiit._ Sometimes they can be difficult to understand. But.. Hey. A Dunmer like me snuggled with her one night. Maybe you can too!”  
Mirian gave him a toothy grin with a ‘thumbs up’  
Haxal gave a nervous chuckle  
“I.. I doubt it. I mean.. We only did.. Our thing because we were both drunk. Really drunk.”  
Mirian grinned and punched his shoulder  
“I’m just screwing with you. You two had a bad first impression. Give her time. She’ll come around. And when she does, she can be a real fuzzball of emotion”  
“Khajiit heard that..” Taz snarled back at her 

**\------Kvatch | 2 Hours Later------**

The Tavern was lively with travelers, patrons, guards, and even gladiators.  
This big Arena competition was attracting a crowd. So it was a miracle that they had managed to find two available rooms to rent for the night.  
Taz had insisted that Haxal stays in his OWN room, so that no more ‘misunderstandings’ occur.  
Haxal, wanting to get on the Khajiit’s good side, agreed with Taz.  
The Khajiit simply grunted at him, but didn’t have that murderous intent in her feline eyes anymore. 

They were all sitting at a table in the corner, next to the staircase to the bedrooms. Dining on their choice of meals.  
Haxal was having a ‘Colovian Beef Noodle Soup with Saltine Crackers and Jam Spread’  
When he first ordered that, both girls gave him a look, then Mirian questioned whether or not Argonians only eat meat. And not Soup and crackers.  
Haxal responded by stating that he quickly fell in love with Cyrodilic cuisine when he moved here. 

Taz on the other hand, ordered a large roasted salmon with a tankard of milk.  
Mirian ordered a meat pie, also colloquially referred to as ‘Shepherds Pie’  
They didn’t order any alcohol, Mirian and Haxal both got a pitcher of grape juice instead.  
Their dinner was eaten mostly in silence, Taz and Haxal sat across from each other, however Taz rarely lifted her head up to look at him, rather she was busy devouring her thick and delicious salmon.  
Mirian was glad that Taz wasn’t giving Haxal the stink eye or such anymore. She was somewhat.. ‘Interested’ to see how this would play out. The irony of a Dres traveling with a Khajiit and an Argonian also wasn’t lost on her. In fact she found it to be fucking hilarious every time it came up in her mind.  
The crowds and patrons in the Tavern all celebrated a glorious victory in the Arena, the victor standing against the bar counter, holding a tankard of mead in one hand and a buxom waitress in the other. Men were chanting “CHUG CHUG CHUG”, Which the muscle-bound man raised his tankard in the air, then proceeded to chug down the strong liquor.  
Mirian glanced back as a furious cheer erupted from the crowd, and the clanking of metal as the now-empty tankard was thrown across the room. 

She then reverted her attention back to her two companions. Still silently dining, avoiding eye contact.  
“So.. Haxal. Do you know any magic?” She asked, wanting to break the silence  
Haxal held the back of his neck  
“I never really explored it. I believe so. But.. Don’t you need training to do anything?”  
Mirian nodded  
“Oh yeah. Took me years to learn how to even summon a flame”  
She held up her hand and a tiny flame ignited in her hand, which she then promptly dispelled to avoid any possible ‘illegal fire magic in a bar’ charges.  
Haxal then turned his head to Taz as she was trying to rip a chunk of meat off with her fangs  
“Can you use magic, Taz?”  
She paused and looked up with him, the salmon meat still hanging in her mouth, then promptly swallowed it afterwards  
“No. Khajiit isn’t special enough to use magic..” She muttered in reply  
“Oh that’s nonsense Taz. You just don’t have that much of a magicka reserve. But so what? You don’t need to throw fireballs to kill Dragons.”  
Haxal shuddered slightly  
“Dragons?? You two plan on fighting Dragons? Are there Dragons down here?”  
Taz shook her head and went back to whatever was left of her meal.  
“Ha! Gods I hope not. Dragons can stay in Skyrim. Rumour has it that Dragons have returned to the Nordic Province?” Mirian questioned out loud.  
Haxal shrugged, and Taz growled like a mountain lion as she devoured the last morsels of salmon and chewed it in her mouth, then she paused and looked over at Haxal and Mirian, giving her looks 

_“What?”_ She asked 

“What are you feral? Use your knife and fork Taz” Mirian replied, pointing at the perfectly fine utensils sitting next to Taz’s plate  
She peered down at them  
“I don’t need them. I’m starving”  
Taz then finished off her tankard of milk before belching into a fist.  
“She always like that? I thought Khajiit eat normally like everyone else” Haxal remarked, giving the cat a wary side look  
“I’m HUNGRY” Taz said again as she placed the tankard down  
Mirian rolled her eyes and carved up her meat pie with the knife like a civilized person.  
Haxal went back to sipping up his soup. 

They resumed dining, Taz now waiting on her companions while the rest of the bar resumed their cheering and celebration.  
However, now Taz noticed that Haxal kept occasionally giving her brief glances  
She flicked an ear and glanced up at him, catching him in that act  
“What” She said, staring straight at him  
“Nothing” He replied  
“Why are you staring at me”  
He glanced down at the table slightly  
“This’ll sound weird but.. I’ve never actually seen a Khajiit before”  
Taz gave him a confused stare  
Mirian placed down her knife and fork  
“Alright. I find that hard to believe. Cyrodiil’s full of Khajiit.”  
“Not in Skingrad. When I came to this province, I had three choices: Leyawiin, Bravil or Skingrad. I went with Skingrad because I heard that Surlie Brothers was a very rich business, so I may find decent and profitable employment with them. I’m sure Khajiit are everywhere in southern Cyrodiil. But I’ve never seen any.. Until now”  
He looked back at Taz  
“I've definitely heard about Khajiit before I came to Cyrodiil. Which breed are you? I know Khajiit have many different breeds”  
“Suthay” She responded with a fold of her arms  
“Suthay..” He nodded  
Mirian could tell that these two were starting to get along. She could tell simply by Taz’s posture and tone that she wasn’t as hung up at Haxal anymore. But.. It was time to put them to the test..  
She pushed back from the table and stood up  
“I’m gonna see if I can get tickets to the next battle tomorrow. Don’t you two kids kill each other now..” She chuckled, then promptly left, giving a quick wink to Haxal. 

Haxal tapped his feet nervously on the floorboards. It was just him and Taz now…  
She was sitting back in her chair, watching everyone else party off in the center of the room, when she gave a side glance to Haxal  
“Back in Skingrad, when I saw you with Mirian..”  
Haxal tensed up  
“I’m sorry about all of that. It was a misunderstanding and She never told me-”  
Taz held up a hand  
“Khajiit is over it, Lizard. I always had a suspicion Mirian was into Argonians..”  
She thought back to those books which Mirian tried to hide from her. Those books about a racy Argonian Maid..  
“Pardon me?” Haxal asked in confusion  
“Oh it's Nothing. But answer me this: You said to This One ‘Is it not enough that Saxhleel apologizes to Desert-Walker’.. And yet you say you never saw Khajiit before. Yet you called me 'Desert-Walker"  
“Yeah. Because ‘Khajiit’ is Ta’agra for ‘Desert-Walker’ I did a little research on other races before I moved here. I figured that I might get along with other races as best I can and..”  
He paused as he looked at Taz. 

She was sitting quietly, _actually listening to him._ Her ears twitched and shuffled as he spoke. Perhaps he impressed her with his knowledge of the Khajiit language. His knowledge extends to one word.  
“Ahem. It’s nothing really important. Knowing what ‘Khajiit’ means.”  
Taz sat up in her chair  
“No. Many don’t know that Haxal. But it is more than just ‘Desert-Walker’ Khajiit are also ‘Children of Kha’jay’, ‘Azurah’s Cubs..”  
Haxal nodded with a grin  
“Thanks for giving me a chance Taz. It’s nice to finally meet a Khajiit..”  
Taz sat back and fiddled with her unused knife  
“This One thought long and hard on it while we were walking here. And.. Well Mirian thinks you're ok, and I trust her opinion. You seem ok, smell ok.. So yes. I’ll give you a chance.”  
Within an instant however, she was over the table, pressing the metal knife against his throat  
_**“But do not let Khajiit catch you having sex in her bed again.”**_

He nodded vehemently  
“It won’t happen anymore, I promise!”  
Taz crawled back across the table to her chair, and twirled the knife in her paw, looking at him with the semblance of a grin.  
Haxal gently rubbed the spot where a knife was pressed up against his softer-scaled throat.  
Damn, she can be intense.. 

**\------Somewhere Else in Cyrodiil-----**

A low drone of hushed whispering filtered through the chamber as a man, clothed in a deep crimson mantle slowly proceeded down a wide bloodstained carpet.  
In one hand he held a scroll. In the other was an ebony forged dagger.  
No sudden movement did he make, nor glancing of the eyes as he went through the long and clouded chamber, brimming with the scent of freshly spilled blood.  
All around him were men and women, clothed in red robes, bowing down before a colossal statue, depicting a most foul-looking deity at the other end of the room.  
Rusty chains and metal cages hung from the rocky ceiling, some still occupied by long since perished prisoners.  
A cold, dead wind flowed unhindered throughout the chamber.  
Still the droning of dark whispers reverberated throughout.  
Until at last, he stood before the depicted deity. 

He placed the scroll on a marble stand, then peered up at the massed assembly gathered before him.  
_“Brothers and Sisters of the Convent.”_ He began, raising his arms in the cold air  
Within an instant, the whispers ceased and utter silence befell the chamber  
_“It is with great pain I announce the loss of Brother Drasius’ sanctuary, along with all who sought shelter within.”_  
Silence followed after he lowered his arms  
_“A terrible blow to our duty has been dealt. A loss that shall be repaid in blood”_  
He reached at his collar and held up a small amulet with a jade skull carving, snapping the chain off from his neck  
_“For the seal has been stolen by his murderers. The seals which bind us to our Lord. WE must regain that which has been lost. For True Divinity may only be achieved through lasting bloodshed and devotion in accordance with the Seal of Three.”_  
The Cultists muttered a short Daedric prayer in response, holding their hands together. It felt as if some dark presence had now emerged into the room.  
_“However his loss is not without some hope. We know of the identity of the perpetrators. A Dunmer known as ‘Mirian Kerillia’ and a Khajiit ‘Ts’razzi Khijhaan.”_  
The man then grabbed the ebony dagger and held it in the air  
_“The Death Mark has been placed upon them. Go and Pursue, Leave none to stand against us. The Oblivion Crisis was undone for Martin had endured. Our coming trials shall flourish for none shall stand before us.”_  
He clipped the necklace back on, through a special clasp, and held the dagger before his chest  
_**“DIVINITY BEGOTTEN MY MORTAL BLOOD”**_ He exclaimed, and in response the gathered cultists too held up daggers of their own 

**“WITNESS ASCENSION”** They all cried in dark unison, then plunged the daggers deep within their chests, before ripping the blades out, shredded pieces of flesh, muscle and their hearts on the blade. 

Blood pooled on the slightly sloped stone-bricked flooring as it trailed down the floor, reaching the altar where the deity’s depiction’s eyes began to glow, and a putrid red mist began to fill the chamber  
Cultists began collapsing and dying off until the mist circled around their bodies, creeping in through the freshly scored holes in their chests, then slowly the cultists began shuffling back up onto their feet like the reanimated dead, as their wounds were almost spontaneously healed.  
The leader, had crawled back up the bloody altar, his blood-soaked dagger lying motionless on the floor beside him  
With quivering arms he held onto the altar, looking out before the assembly as they all had turned and stood near-lifeless, watching him from under dark, and dreary cowls  
_“Go now and Kill! KILL IN OUR LORDS NAME! HIS BLOOD FLOWS THROUGH OUR VEINS!”_


End file.
